Education Minister Siddhartha Bhattacharya Assures Job Security of Midday Meal Cooks 

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The State Government was recently lashed for its decision to hand over the midday meal scheme to 15 NGOs in 17 districts, who allegedly provided inedible food to the government school children.

Reacting to the accusations, Education Minister Siddhartha Bhattacharya, while holding a meeting with the midday meal cooks affirmed that if the allegations were true, action would be taken against the NGOs.

“The 15 NGOs have entered into a contract with the government for the midday meal scheme. However, if they are found guilty of serving unhygienic and sub-standard food to the children, proper action will be taken against them,” said Bhattacharya.

The Education Minister further assured the cooks that they have nothing to worry about as they would receive remuneration same as before and will be engaged in the department, although their workload is reduced as they do not have to cook anymore. He also informed that the Central Government has been notified about their demand for increase in salary.

“No NGO has the authority to dismiss any cooks and they will remain under the Government’s service. Most of the children attending government schools belong to the rural families of Assam. They are invariably from Below Poverty Line (BPL) families. Both the parents go for work either on farms or outside and comeback in the evening. The children are sent to school after light breakfast or empty stomach and the government took the responsibility upon themselves to provide these children under the midday meal scheme. Now if the allegations about the NGOs being black-listed in other states of the country are found true, then we will dismiss them from responsibility for no one has the right to toy with the lives of children,” said Bhattacharya.

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